Hero Team’s Mena 18th, Santosh 42nd at Dakar Rally
Santosh finished the tough marathon stage at 38th position, which lands him at 42nd place in the overall rankings
Chennai teenager Geoffrey Emmanuel has confirmed his participation in the FIM Junior World Championship and he will be representing AGR Team astride a KTM.
The FIM JuniorGP 2024 comprises 14 races spread across seven rounds. The first round is scheduled to be held in Italy (April 20-21). Spain will host two rounds and Portugal, four, including the final round (Nov 23-24).
Looking ahead to the new season, Geoffrey, who made his international debut in 2022, participating in the Hawkers European Talent Cup at the age of 17, said: “I’m very excited to be part of the AGR Team and to be able to train with 111 Management to improve my career as a professional rider. I can’t wait to have new experiences with my new team!” Geoffrey will be shifting to Spain in February to prepare for the 2024 season.
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According to team owner Anscari Nadal, having an Indian rider like Geoffrey is a challenge, but the goal is to nurture his talent and help him progress in the FIM Junior GP, eventually leading to a Wild Card promotion in the World Championship.
In 2023, Geoffrey made history as the first and only Indian competitor in the FIM JuniorGP, riding a KTM for the Cuna de Campeones team. Although he didn’t score any points, his overall improvement was encouraging.
Reflecting on his experience, Geoffrey said: “It was a steep learning curve. Adapting to a new bike, unfamiliar tracks, and tough competition was not easy. However, I managed to narrow the gap with the front-runners, placing more emphasis on personal growth and improvement rather than specific results.”
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